1642,643,641] alterations of soils. 301 



dividing ridge, (between Big Black and Yallabusha waters) resemble closely 

 that of the Pino Hills of Lafayette even as to the rocky knolls occasionally 

 perched on top (Ull). Approaching Bellefontaine, however, the country 

 becomes less broken and the soil improves — generally in proportion as the gray 

 clays of the Lignitic formation approach the surface — as the yellow loam 

 stratum becomes thicker. 



S. of Bellefontaine, the pine disappear?, until within a few miles 

 from Greensboro'. The lands are rather broken, the higher ridges 

 bear the Black Jack and Post Oak, and show bald spots of whitish 

 clay — the soil being, of course, rather heavy in consequence. 

 Generally, however, on the lower ridge lands, the Spanish ('' Red") 

 Oak prevails most frequently, mixed with some Hickory and Post 

 Oak — the subsoil being a moderately heavy, yellow loam. This 

 soil represents fairly the better class of soils of E. Choctaw, there 

 being considerable uniformity, except where sand ridges intervene. 



Thus Greensboro', like so many other county seats of Mississippi, is situated 

 on a very sandy ridge, where Pine, Post Oak and Black Jack predominate over 

 the Spanish (" lied ") Oak. Between Greensboro' and Big Black, the Spanish 

 ("Bed ") Oak again predominates ; S. of Big Black, on the Bankston road, we 

 first meet with sandy pine hills, then, near Bankston, a gently undulating 

 region, with yellow loam soil, and timbered mainly with Spanish ("Red ") Oak, 

 with some Hickory, (true) Red, and an occasional Black Oak. 



642. A similar alternation of soils characterizes the whole of Choctaw county, 

 all of which is moderately hilly, without very high ridges, and without 

 possessing (except along the streams) large continuous tracts of very fertile 

 soil ; the average production of the better class of upland soils, being from 

 800 to 1,000 lbs. of seed-cotton. The western portion (which I have not 

 visited) resembles the adjoining parts of Carroll, above described (l[633, ff.). 



The S. E. corner of Choctaw, while there are no high ridges, is broken up 

 into a continual succession of small rounded ones ; whose soil does not, in 

 general, diner essentially from those of N. E. Choctaw. 



643. The upland soils of Winston county, as far as I know them, 

 are essentially of two different characters. The southern and 

 western portion of the county possesses a shallow, pale soil, and 

 a pale yellow, rather sandy, loam subsoil ; the former often, the 

 latter always containing more or less concretions of bog ore 

 (" black pebble '"). This soil is timbered with Short-leaf Pine, 

 Post, Spanish (" Red "), and Scarlet (" Spanish '') Oak, generally 

 accompanied by some Hickory, Black Gum, and Maple — the whole 

 o-rowth disposed to be somewhat scrubby, and the soil of inferior 

 fertility. 



644. In the northern, and north-eastern portion of the county, 

 there prevails a soil resembling in many respects that of the "Red 

 Hills" of Attala (1F637), and probably formed originally of the 

 same materials. It is not, on the whole, quite so heavy or dark 

 colored — not, at least, on the surface ; the deeper we go, however, 

 the heavier and darker colored it becomes. This soil is character- 

 ized by a growth of White, Black and (true) Red (" Black ") Oak, 

 stout Post Oak, a good deal of Hickory, and sometimes, Short-leaf 

 Pine ; all these trees being stout and well proportioned. The 

 average production of this soil is from 800 to 1000 lbs. of seed- 

 cotton per acre, sometimes even more. 



